week S1 W1 /wiːk/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ week , ↑ midweek , ↑ weekly ; adverb : ↑ weekly , ↑ midweek ; adjective : ↑ weekly , ↑ midweek ]
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: wicu ]
1 . a period of seven days and nights, usually measured in Britain from Monday to Sunday and in the US from Sunday to Saturday
once/twice/three times etc a week
Letters were delivered twice a week only.
I can’t see you this week.
last/next week (=the week before or after this one)
See you next week.
2 . any period of seven days and nights
for a week/two weeks etc
I’ve been living here for six weeks.
in a week/two weeks etc (=one, two etc weeks from now)
If he hasn’t phoned in a week, I’ll phone him.
It will cost you an estimated £10 per week to feed one dog.
The training program lasts three weeks.
3 . the part of the week when you go to work, usually from Monday to Friday SYN working week :
a 35-hour week
during the week
I don’t see her during the week.
4 . Monday week/Tuesday week etc British English a week after the day that is mentioned:
We’re off to Spain Sunday week.
5 . a week on Monday etc British English , a week from Monday etc American English a week after the day that is mentioned:
The Reids are coming for dinner a week from Sunday.
Keith’s coming home two weeks on Saturday (=two weeks after next Saturday) .
6 . week after week ( also week in week out ) continuously for many weeks:
We do the same things week in week out.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ adjectives
▪ this week
He’ll be in the office this week, so you should give him a call.
▪ next week
The wedding is next week.
▪ last week
Last week, my washing machine broke down.
▪ the past week
Five soldiers were killed in the past week alone.
▪ the previous week
She thought about what a colleague had said to her the previous week.
▪ the following week
She booked another appointment for the following week.
▪ a full/whole week (=every day in a week)
I can't believe we've been here a whole week already.
■ phrases
▪ a day of the week
Friday is our busiest day of the week.